Last Saturday, the Saigon Saints took on the Hanoi Swans in Nha Trang. This was the first time these two teams have met outside Saigon and it is hoped that the Nha Trang fixture will become a regular on the Vietnam AFL calendar.
The match was played on a soccer pitch and therefore, given the size constraints of the ground, the rules were modified so that goals could only be scored from within the 30m line (to stop players bombing goals from the centre) and there were no points.
The teams ran onto the ground with 9 players each. By 3 Quarter time, the scores were 6 goals to Hanoi and 8 goals to Saigon. The stage was set for a big last quarter.
Alas, with three of the Swans stars effectively out of action (Potsy with a back, Willy with a hamstring and Pat suffering from heat exhaustion) and the return of Drew (after suffering a cut to the lip in the 2nd Quarter which required 5 stitches), the Saints kicked away adding another 7 unanswered goals. So the final score was Hanoi 6 goals and 15 goals to the Sainters.
In the rugby match that followed, the Saigon Geckoes easily accounted for the Nha Trang Sharks.
Absolutely top weekend and a special thanks to Symmo who shouldered most of the organisational responsibility, Jess for the Louisianne and Pago and the rugby clubs for allowing us to combine codes on the day.
More photos to follow.